INEOS AsiaPac Boss interview - part 2 of 4

#INEOS #INEOSAustralia #Grenadier
Part 2 of an interview with Justin Hoecvar, INEOS's AsiaPac boss:
00:00 who do you see buying INEOS vehicles?
03:27 petrol vs diesel buyers
04:44 Grenadier as only car
09:01 looks & style (car, not us)
11:12 what has surprised you about buyers
13:16 if you could change one thing
15:47 club & community support
Part 1 • INEOS AsiaPac boss int...
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[@davidkelly3779]

As the (ex) owner of a modified Disco 2, I wanted a new vehicle that was just as capable. Was disappointed with the new Defender when it came out., so didn’t go there. Shortly afterwards the Grenadier raised its head. I ordered one in Jan 2022. This is an absolute awesome vehicle, however it is not until you start pulling it apart ((UHF install) that you realise how well it is put together. This machine looks well built on the “outside”, but it is when investigate the inside that you really appreciate the engineering built into the vehicle.

[@jerrymyahzcat]

“Disappointed with the new Defender”? But did you buy one? They are awesome and much better than a D2 out of the box. Did you buy a D5? How do you know they don’t suit you?

[@stevegreen101]

​@@jerrymyahzcatif the spec on paper and some of the engineering choices leave you cold then why would you buy one?

[@craigyardley2007]

Grenadier 1st 4wd owned, daily driver and ex bmw 5 series/bmw x5, merc cla45, golf gti owner. During recent trip to Wonnangatta Vic it’s 4wd capability was amazing.

[@L2SFBC]

Was that the recent LROCV trip?

[@craigyardley2007]

@@L2SFBC No was a trip organised ex Griffith NSW with 3 cars, Ineos, Jeep Wrangler rubicon and modified hilux. In via Myrtleford and out via Dargo. Arrived at campsite and being a newbie asked the hilux driver when low range was required. His reply was I’ve been in low gear for the past 2 hours……..I had not found the need to use it. However climb out was more difficult so got a workout then via Herne Spur and Cynthia Range tracks

[@geoffreygoodland3629]

I have a 18 ft Rinomax caravan and was towing it with a Isuzu dmax. I have had 3 dmax since they first arrived in Australia they have been excellent vehicle's. But the gcm of 6000kg has made me upgrade to the ineos Grenadier I intend to do a lot more remote travelling now I have the Grenadier it will enable me to fill my water tanks to th their full capacity. I hope to be able to spend 4 weeks without having to worry about water. I am intending to go to more remote locations and take my Grenadier into these locations.

[@lloydswartz7354]

I was to be a Bronco buyer coming from a 4 runner, xterra and pajeros before. Bronco has fundamental durability issues. So we ordered a Grenadier. If pick ups are made here we will own a Quarter Master. I own a Power Wagon as our other stable vehicle for big towing duty.

[@bakepl]

Towed 3100kg van for 15000klm and performs very well out of the box. Needed a small GVM upgrade to get me by - Trialmaster, winch, bar, sidesteps with fridge, drawers, 266kg on the ball and 2 occupants. Changed out of LC100, certainly no regrets. Can you please ask about the promised manuals? This was a significant selling feature and I suspect many others purchased on this understanding.

[@L2SFBC]

That question is coming in part 3 or 4

[@jerrymyahzcat]

I would say with confidence (but I could be wrong) that there won’t be a manual. There’s no point. It would bring nothing to the table. The ZF gearbox will out perform any manual.

[@stevegreen101]

​@@jerrymyahzcatRepair manual not gearbox. 👍

[@leftcoastoverland8750]

Robert, I’m an American who moved to Australia with my family in Feb of this year. I came from a long lineage of Ram trucks and Jeep wranglers back in the states as my main mode of transport, work rig, and off road fun. Most recently I sold my 2019 Ram 1500 rebel. I then rolled the money from the sale of that truck into my Grenadier order. I knew what I needed here in Oz was going to be a bit different than what a Ram Could offer me, so a wagon was an easy choice. Originally my thoughts were 78 series, however after much deliberation and comparison I landed on Grenadier as my choice for the reason of Value for money. Ineos just comes out of the box ready to go, whereas a 78, or 76 still needs lots of upgrades to be at the same level. (As proven lately by Ronny Dahl’s comparisons) While the grenadier will be my daily driver in its configuration of roofrack, awning, drawer system and fridge etc, I intend on touring, camping, taking family trips, and driving too and from FIFO work sites. I even also hope to one day drive the truck around the world. I appreciate the work you’re doing and the interviews with Justin, Hopefully that gives you some insight into just one customer.

[@L2SFBC]

It does thank you!!

[@markgriscti5560]

Ineos has had the advantage of good sales from the early adopters but I am sure there are plenty of more conservative customers like me who are looking forward to the next model. Coming from a Discovery 4, hopefully they can lift the bar with the drive train refinement, software glitches, steering and redesign the exhaust to fix the left foot rest design issue (this alone currently rules out the car for me) and hopefully provide room for a decent auxiliary fuel tank. With our cars getting older we can’t wait for ever and it would be a pity to ask for my $800 back and pass over the Ineos and go to the dark side.

[@stevegreen101]

I'm not convinced there's been the "good sales" from early adopters. The figures in key markets suggest many back away from the figures quoted for reservations.

[@loum.4377]

Love it.

[@Daniel-vl8mx]

I'm glad you mentioned the Apple CarPlay issue. It is very annoying, as the maps/navigation is more or less useless due to lagging and freezing. This really needs to be fixed, as otherwise it is a damn good car. FWIW I bought mine after having four Pajeros, and I have been impressed by its performance on anything from freeways to low-range/locked diffs tracks. It is perhaps less than ideal around town - I wish the roof was about 50mm lower, to access more car parks, and the turning circle smaller. However, that is obviously not its primary focus. One other suggestion I'd make - perhaps this could be addressed in a software update - is that it would be nice if there was some way to acknowledge a warning so that you don't keep getting reminded about stuff that really isn't urgent. For example, the TPMS repeatedly alerting when the tyres are 20 kPa down due to cold weather, and not stopping even as the pressures come up to nominal as the tyres warm up, or the fuel alert going off at 120 km and not leaving you alone until you fill up. It is nice to be alerted, not so nice to be nagged.

[@fabulousoffroaddesigns5080]

I really hope in a few years they will offer a Quartermaster chassis/cab in a single cab cut away for RV builders.

[@L2SFBC]

Payload will still be low though. RVs are super heavy. You want 150L of water+, there's 150kg right there.

[@fabulousoffroaddesigns5080]

@@L2SFBC in a single cab cab/chassis they should be able to get the curb weight down to 5000 lbs which would leave 2850 lbs for a cabin and payload. My single cab F-150 weighs 4550 lbs with the tub/bed, which leaves 3300 lbs which is way more than necessary.

[@alexnutcasio936]

Sadly, US is getting many INEOS, but no diesel. Not for lack of want, but for regulation. We’re seeing them on the road here . There’s no doubt that Grenadier is taking sales from Rover, MB and Jeep.

[@martythomas599]

🤔

[@jerrymyahzcat]

That subtitle was a joke, correct? Sarcasm….? There’s loads of LR diehards.

[@L2SFBC]

maybe :-)

[@RichardGreenAustralia]

RP, so far as a journalist, in part 1 & 2, you've given JH an easy ride. There are some significant grypes from early adopter owners which you simply have not touched on, but are widely discussed in the IG owning community. Here are a couple: - Promise of service manuals unfulfilled - Factory dual battery system is a mess, or at least, entirely inappropriate for the market (touring, as mentioned in this segment). Why such an uncritical approach to the interview ?

[@L2SFBC]

1. You'll note this is 1 & 2 thus far. Manuals is coming. 2. Dual battery. I did not ask JH about this as he is a senior exec and I wouldn't expect him to be across exactly how it is set up. However, last week I interviewed the INEOS tech chief in the UK and asked him why the second battery isn't isolated from the starter, and how it works. That interview is on the way. I'm also talking to Ctek about their new charger and as part of that have requested a tech interview on dual batteries, although that's not confirmed. Personally I don't see why it isn't wired in separately, and it should be a lithium these days. Same weird electric deal around the NATO plug etc, it's like these systems were designed by people that never camp. Same for the winch design, and others. As for 'uncritical'. Execs are specifically media-trained to deflect questions they don't want to answer. They get a dossier on the journalist and their style and sometimes a briefing or practice run, although I doubt the latter was needed for me. So when a question isn't answered, the interviewer has a choice - go harder, or move on. If you go harder you may, or probably may not get a better answer - you only need to look at the pro political interviewers to see how well that works, if someone doesn't want to answer a question they won't. You'll certainly use up time and antagonise the interviewee which leads to even worse answers for the next question. So my choice was ask once or twice, then move on as there was a lot to cover. Now if you want the true answer you need listen to the question, and then listen to what is NOT said as the answer as well as what is said. The opportunities given, but not taken. The way the question is deflected. The message given instead of the question answered. That doesn't just go for this interview, it's true of all interviews and indeed life in general. You can also often tell the prepped-for questions as the answer is quicker and sounds more rehearsed, the more skilled interviewees add a bit of umm-err for they trot it out. Any rehearsed answer means there's something interesting underneath. Do that, and you'll learn a lot.

[@stevegreen101]

​​@@L2SFBC I hope you are able to pick up on the Mandatory Work Orders and removing functionality from owners vehicles with no prior permissions. As examples the Smartpass consumer output glued up and the software update that removed torque split screen. On the NATO socket, why did they sell it to people who didn't want the removable winch and then publish a supplement to the Owner's Manual that said it's misuse if used for any other purpose!